Tennessee State Land acquisition funds in jeopardy
VERY URGENT!
Your immediate e-mails or calls are needed to preserve Tennessee’s natural lands.
The state must balance the budget, and Gov. Bredesen has proposed a number of cuts for doing so. The legislature is right now working over these proposals, and there is still a $15 million shortfall. One solution being offered is to take the real-estate transfer tax that is devoted to open space, wetlands, and parkland acquisition, and to earmark it for general revenues so it can be used to balance the budget.
If this happens, we lose not only the $17 million that are currently in the fund, but the entire mechanism for generating land-acquisition money. The real-estate transfer tax would have to be re-appropriated for its original purpose this would take at least 2 years. In the meantime, the state would have no means of protecting our special and fragile natural lands and waters, which are increasingly threatened by adverse developments.
The decision may well be made today or tomorrow morning. Please lose no time in contacting Gov. Bredesen’s office by phone, fax, or e-mail.
Phone: 615.741.2001
Fax: 615.532.9711
Email: phil.bredesen@state.tn.us
Also Also contact your own Senator and Representative and any you know and
urge that this backward step not be taken!
to find your legislator's contact information, visit:
www.legislature.state.tn.us
Also, please notify any like-minded others you know and ask them to take action and to spread the word.
Thank you!
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